Interlude
by 3 cups 0f tea
Summary: AU. Because piano was the thing that brought us together... Fon27
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Um, hello. I should have updated for my other story, but…I wrote a new one. _Sigh. _I know I shouldn't have, but the story kinda came to me, and my English teacher did say that once you think up of an idea, you should write it down immediately. And so, this is the product of that. o_o

This is slightly inspired by one of Metamorcy's prompts, where Tsuna is an adult and Fong is a kid. :D I hope you enjoy reading this. Here's the first chapter of Interlude~

**Disclaimer: **Naah. X3

Extra Note: By the way, I imagined the song that Tsuna's playing to be Love Me by Yiruma. It's really beautiful. You could try listening to it while you read if you want. :3

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude<strong>

* * *

><p><em>-Chapter 1-<em>

* * *

><p>Fong stopped in front of a small gate, panting slightly as he leaned his shoulders against the railings. He ran a hand through his bangs and wiped off the beads of sweat that formed on his forehead. He closed his eyes as he tried to even out his labored breathing. His lips pulled into a small sardonic smile. Maybe he shouldn't have run all the way from school after all. He overestimated his body.<p>

He clenched the strap of his school bag tightly.

Asthma _can't_ be cured. He knew that.

The words of his doctor rang in his ears. _Even when you feel fine, you mustn't forget that you still have the disease. It can flare up at any time. The medications helped get rid of the symptoms but you should try not to overwork your body. _He remembered how patronizing the baritone voice sounded like. How every word was uttered in a soothing manner and was laced with mild worry. Yet despite all that, he did not fail to detect the tone of indifference and disinterest that lay underneath. It was typical for a doctor. They must have been obliged to put up a facade that shows concern for their patients.

Feeling a lot better, he pushed himself away from the gate and straightened his disheveled uniform. He then turned to face the gate in front of him, his eyes lingering on the familiar intricate design of twisted and coiled wrought iron before pushing it open, granting him entrance to the property.

His footsteps echoed lightly on the cobblestone footpath. He took his time walking the short distance towards the front door of the quaint house as he glanced around his surroundings, his long braided hair swaying behind him with every step. He smiled as he noted that the flowers in the garden were starting to bloom. They would be beautiful once they were in full blossom. He felt happy knowing that planting them proved to be worth the while.

Finally having reached the house, he stood at the front porch in silence. He could faintly hear music coming from the inside as he rummaged through his pants pocket, revealing a silver key hanging off of an orange tuna-shaped keychain. He smiled at the small trinket in his hands before promptly shoving the key into the keyhole and turning it to unlock the door, pushing it open with a slight crack to its hinges.

He stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him silently. The room was flooded with the sound of different vibrating octaves; with soft and flowing music. It was beautiful, almost like a warm and feathery lullaby. The fluid melody was played with such _Grazioso._

It wasn't his first time to hear it. No, it wasn't foreign to him. He's heard it countless of times before through the years. And yet, he couldn't help but to feel drawn to the soulful tune.

He found himself captivated by the almost magical sound.

He allowed his feet to slowly wind his way through the familiar interior of the house, following the source of the music. He entered the living room and froze on his spot by the door. His eyes landed on the ebony-colored grand piano situated in the middle of the adequately spaced room, and on the mop of brunet hair that was seated in front of the majestic instrument. Fong's dark onyx eyes softened at the sight of the man.

He watched as the brunet's hands glided over the long ivory keys in swift and graceful movements. It was as if his delicate fingers were dancing to the sounds that they make with every press of a key. He glanced at the man's face. The brunet's eyes were dazed and half-lidded, as if he was in his own world of fantasy.

The teenager closed his eyes, allowing him to further be entwined by the beauty of the sounds emitted from the piano. He relaxed as he felt the melody caress his senses. The room was silent save for the reverberating music.

Suddenly, there was a soft grunt of pain, and then a succession of mismatched notes.

Silence prevailed throughout the room.

Fong's eyes flew open, his eyes widening at the sight of the brunet leaning onto the piano. His hands were held tightly together, knuckles almost turning white. His porcelain face was marred with a pained expression.

"Tsuna!"

The Chinese paid no heed as his bag slipped off his shoulder and dropped to the ground in a muffled thud. He wasted no time in getting to the other's side. But at the sound of his name, the brunet quickly sat rigid in his seat and relaxed the tight hold he had on his hands. His face was expertly schooled into a neutral expression. All signs of prior pain were gone, and Fong questioned himself if it was only his imagination. Tsuna turned to face him, the ends of his lips curving upwards into a small smile.

Fong narrowed his eyes in both suspicion and worry. The smile looked forced.

"Fong." Tsuna nodded to him in greeting, the smile still present on his lips. "How long have you been here?" He reached up to grab a hold of the teenager's hand and pulled him to take a seat beside him on the padded bench. The teen obliged and obediently sat down next to the petite man. "You should have called out to me when you arrived."

The Chinese kept his voice calm. "Long enough." He then turned to look at Tsuna in the eye, his voice laced with worry. "Are you alright?"

The brunet waved off the concerned inquiry with a soft chuckle. His warm caramel eyes bore into Fong's onyx ones. "It's just pianist cramps. I'm fine." He smiled again, this time a genuine one. "Really, you don't need to worry."

Fong sighed as he let the subject drop. He never could win against his teacher's smile.

If possible, Tsuna's grin grew much wider. His voice held a tone of amusement. "Well then, are you ready for today's lesson?"

* * *

><p>Fong sat in front of the grand piano by himself, his hands positioned inches away from the ivory keys. He glanced sideways to his teacher sitting comfortably on a separate chair beside the piano. He nodded for him to start.<p>

He nodded once and then turned towards the piano. He let out an exhale to relax his shoulders before his long slender fingers glided and wove the opening bars of Beethoven's_ Appassionata_, breathing life into the instrument; soft and delicate as silk, molding into a fast pace. His fingers hovered across the keys, playing in graceful yet strong and rapid motions. It was a fairly difficult piece. He closed his eyes in concentration and allowed his thoughts to drift away with the flowing music.

The melody coming from the instrument slowly filled up the room. Memories of the past flooded his thoughts as his fingers continued with their activity.

-:-

_He sat on the couch silently as he waited for his mother to finish talking with the stranger__ they came to meet. They were seated at the other side of the room, and he could hardly hear their silent conversation. Not that he would listen in though. His father did say that it was impolite to eavesdrop. He always followed what his father told him like an obedient child…_

_He covered his mouth with his hands to muffle the string of coughs that erupted from his throat. _

_He sighed as he let his hands fall to his lap. He began playing with the ends of his traditional red Chinese clothing. He pulled at the long sleeves. _

_Fong Tai. He was the only son of the head of the Tai family, a family of superior martial artists. He was to be the heir to the family dojo and to their family's style of martial arts. He knew his father expected a lot from him, but he was born a sickly baby. Now at ten, he was prone to having coughing and wheezing fits. There were times when he couldn't breathe just after running a short distance. He was asthmatic, and that in itself was a problem._

_Although his skills were honed to perfection, he could never execute them properly. He was dubbed as a failure, and his father never failed to let him know how disappointed he was in him. _

_He could never live up to his father's expectations with his weak body. _

_He shook his head to rid himself of his depressing thoughts and opted instead to scan the unfamiliar room to keep his self occupied. The color of dark ebony caught his attention. He turned his eyes towards the center of the room. _

'_A piano?'_

_Fong slowly stood up from his seat and made his way towards the grand piano, unaware of a pair of caramel eyes watching his every move intently from the other side of the room. He stared at the instrument with newfound curiosity, noting the set of ivory keys and the smaller charcoal black ones. He placed his hand on top of the smooth surface. For some reason, he felt some kind of attraction towards the musical instrument before him. _

"_Would you like to try playing it?"_

_Fong jumped at the sound of the voice and quickly turned around to come face to face with the stranger. How did he get near him without him noticing? He studied the brunet in front of him and noticed how young he looked. He only appeared to be a few years older than him and looked no older than 16. _

_He watched as the older boy sat on the bench in front of the piano and started to play a soft and gentle lullaby. It was clean and simple; he felt himself getting drawn to the melody. _

_The music died out as the brunet's fingers floated off the keyboard. He turned to face the younger boy. _

"_I'm Tsuna. Tsunayoshi Sawada." He smiled a small smile. "You are?"_

_Fong squirmed at the conversation. He wasn't really sure if he should answer or not. He looked up at the kind-looking person in front of him. He chose the former. _

"_Fong." He answered in a polite tone. _

_Tsuna reached over and ruffled his dark locks. "It's nice to meet you, Fong. Would you like me to teach you how to play?" He motioned to the piano's keyboard. _

_His eyes widened slightly at the offer. He wanted to. He turned to look at the imposing figure of the piano. He traced his hand along the smooth curve of its side. He raised his head and caught his mother's eyes, silently asking for permission. He was met with a gentle smile and a slight nod of the head, urging him to do what he wants. _

_His lips pulled up into a smile as he turned to look at the brunet._

"_Yes, please."_

-:-

He watched the brunet from the corner of his eyes as he continued to play. Tsuna's eyes were closed, as if listening to the music in deep concentration. He's been like that for a few minutes now, and Fong suspected that his mentor has accidentally fallen asleep.

He chuckled silently at the thought.

He smirked to himself and deliberately hit the wrong set of keys.

"You got that part wrong, Fong."

Fong's eyes widened and he turned to look at the brunet seated beside the piano. Tsuna still had his eyes closed, but he now sported a knowing smile on his lips. The teen sheepishly turned away to focus on his performance.

A few moments later, Tsuna opened his eyes to look at the younger boy playing the piano in an almost effortless manner. His smile spread wider in a surge of happiness and pride.

-:-

"_Sensei!"_

_Fong called out to his mentor repeatedly but was only met with silence. He's been ignored for a while now. He sighed and tried to get the brunet's attention again._

"_Sensei."_

_Nothing._

"_Sawada-sensei."_

_Silence._

"_Sawada-sa –"_

"_Tsuna."_

_Fong blinked at the sudden sound of his teacher's voice._

"_Eh?"_

"_Call me Tsuna." Tsuna finally turned around to face him. It's only been a year, but the both of them are almost at the same height. "I told you to do so, didn't I?"_

_Fong fell silent. He refused to call his teacher by his first name out of politeness. Respect was ingrained in his head since the time he first learned to speak after all. "But –"_

_The brunet reached forward and ruffled the younger boy's dark colored hair. "I'm a good seven years older than you, you know." He winked at him. "You should follow what your elders tell you."_

_The Chinese sighed in defeat. "Tsuna-san."_

"_Tsuna." The brunet smiled at him, refusing to budge._

_Silence._

_Fong sighed in mild frustration before smiling a small smile. "Tsuna."_

_The teenager's lips were curved in a wide smile. "Yes, Fong?"_

"_I really think we should start with my lesson now. It's been more than an hour."_

_Tsuna's voice was laced with amusement as he answered. "Gladly."_

_Really, his teacher was just too childish sometimes…_

-:-

Fong closed his eyes in deep concentration as he prepared for the _Cantabile_, his fingers pressing the piano keys in swift and graceful movements.

-:-

_It was snowing and the neighborhood was blanketed in white. Fong stood by the door of his teacher's house waiting for his arrival. He wrapped his thick woolen scarf around his neck and stuffed his mitten-covered hands in his pants pockets in an attempt to keep warm. He checked his imaginary watch. Was he too early? Maybe he should've called before he came. _

_He's 14 now. It has __been four years since he started learning how to play the piano. Needless to say, his asthma was getting better. He was happy for that. But he still wasn't allowed to overexert himself. _

_He shuffled on his feet as he thought of his father. He sighed. His relationship with his father probably wouldn't be changing any time soon. _

"_Fong!"_

_He was brought out of his musings when he heard his name. He lifted his head and saw the brunet running towards him. He waved back in acknowledgement. _

"_Whew! Sorry I'm late. There was some stuff I had to take care of at the college." He rummaged through his pockets for his house keys. "Anyway, it's so cold out here." He turned to look at Fong as he opened the door. "How long have you been out here? Did you wait long?"_

_Fong shrugged his shoulders in response. "Not really." And as if to contradict with his statement, he suddenly felt a sneeze coming and immediately covered his nose with both hands. "Achoo!" After which he began coughing. _

"_Oh no! 'Not really' my foot! You're going to catch a cold! Quick, get in!" Tsuna hurriedly shoved Fong into the house and dragged him to the direction of the living room. He pushed him down onto the couch. He spoke in a firm voice, leaving no room for arguments. "Stay there." Fong could only nod in compliance. _

_In a span of a few minutes, the 14 year old was changed out of his cold and slightly wet clothing and was seated comfortably on the couch; a thick blanket was wrapped around his shoulders. _

"_I'd be dead if you ever catch a cold. Have you seen your mom angry? God, she's scary. She'd probably skin me alive if –" Tsuna was babbling as he paced around the room, putting things in order. _

_Fong smiled as he watched the other's antics. Tsuna's turning 21 this year, and yet he still looks and acts like a 16 year old. He chuckled lightly at the thought._

_Tsuna turned to look at him and pouted. "It's not funny you know." But then broke out into laughter himself. He sat next to the teen and relaxed into the cushions._

_They sat in comfortable silence for a while, before Tsuna spoke up. _

"_Would you like some tea? I'll make them." He slowly stood up without waiting for the other's response._

_Fong visibly paled and attempted to stand up, but was held down by the brunet. "It's fine. Leave it to me." He smiled then made his way to the kitchen. A few seconds later, sounds of crashing, clicking of cooking ware, and muffled shouts were heard loudly in the background. The Chinese could only sigh as he put a hand to his face. He knew from experience that the brunet was notoriously clumsy. How he managed to be such a graceful and refined pianist was a mystery. _

_Tsuna finally emerged from the kitchen balancing two steaming cups of tea on a small tray, his pale skin littered with a few bruises. He slowly knelt on the floor and placed the tray on top of the coffee table. He stood up and handed one cup to Fong, keeping the other cup for himself. They drank their tea in silence. _

_Fong gazed at his teacher intently as he drank his tea. He noted the older man's pretty features. His soft brunet hair and warm caramel eyes. His small pink lips and cute button nose. It amazed him, really, how much he enjoyed watching the 20 year old. Tsuna suddenly turned towards him and caught his eye. Fong's eyes widened a bit at the realization that he might have probably been caught staring, but he didn't tear away his gaze. _

_He watched as Tsuna stood from his position on the couch and walked towards him. His heart was beating loudly in his chest as the brunet bent down to his eye level, his face merely centimeters away from his. He felt cold hands brush away his bangs, and then his head met with something hard. It took him a minute to realize that it was the other's forehead. A few moments later, Tsuna stood from his position and crashed on the spot next to the stunned teenager. _

_He sighed in relief._

"_You were kinda red there. I had to check your temperature. Luckily, you don't have a cold." He smiled at the younger boy and gave him the thumbs up sign before he stood up and turned his back to him. He stretched his arms over his head as he walked towards the piano in the middle of the living room. "Well then, let's start with today's lesson shall we?"_

_Fong kept silent as he stood from his seat and made his way to follow the other towards the piano. All the while, he kept his head low and willed the deep flush of red on his cheeks to go away. _

_A few days later, Tsuna handed him a small silver key hanging off of an orange tuna-shaped keychain. _

-:-

Fong played with his eyes closed. His slender pianist fingers were drifting across the notes, from black keys to white keys. As the melody came to an end, his fingers relaxed and exerted less pressure when he pressed the keys. The tune faded softly and quietly, reluctantly melting into the silence. Sighing, Fong drew his hands back from the keyboard.

He could hear the sound of clapping in the background as he opened his eyes. He turned towards his teacher and found him smiling at him.

"That was wonderful, Fong. You really do have the talent for this. You've nearly mastered such a difficult piece in a span of a few days." He stood from his seat and ruffled the 16 year old's hair affectionately.

The Chinese smiled gently at the familiar gesture. "I have an amazing teacher after all."

Tsuna took his seat again, as if dismissing the statement. "I don't see why you keep on refusing the idea of holding a recital. I think you're more than ready with your current level of skill."

Fong simply shook his head, choosing not to give an answer. _I only want you to listen to my music… _He kept silent, lest he might voice out his thoughts.

The brunet sighed, his shoulders drooping as he leant against the chair he was sitting on. He smiled warmly at the teen. "I suppose that's enough for today." He glanced at the clock hanging on the opposite wall. "It's getting late." He slowly walked towards the door, gesturing for the other to follow him.

Hesitating only for an instant, Fong stood up from the piano bench and followed the older man out of the living room, picking up his school bag from the floor. They stood by the closed door in silence.

After six years, Fong was now a head taller than the brunet much to the petite man's displeasure. He stared at the man before him, looking much like how he looked years ago. Before his mind could protest, he wrapped his arms around the brunet, his body moving on its own.

"Fong?"

Realizing what he's done, he immediately loosened his grip but was stopped as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his back, holding him in place.

Tsuna buried his face on the tall teen's chest, taking in his scent of freshly poured rain. He didn't know what came over him to do such a thing. They stayed in each other's embrace before the brunet pulled back, reminded of the time, and finally saw the other off. He closed the door and bolted it shut a few moments later. Silence loomed over the house. He was alone once again.

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><p>Tsuna slowly made his way back to the living room. It was so quiet, his footsteps echoed across the hall. His eyes softened as he caught sight of the grand piano. He approached it and sat down on the padded bench. He allowed his fingers to glide on the numerous ivory keys, relishing the tinkling sounds it produced. He drew a deep breath and then started to play a particularly complicated part of the <em>Appasionata Sonata<em>. His fingers flew in different directions; swift and bold. The room filled with music.

A jolt of pain suddenly spread throughout his hands, reaching the ends of his fingertips. The sudden sensation caused him to unintentionally slam his palm on the keys, and then the sound died off into the silence. He gripped his hands tightly, his teeth clenched. He bit his lip and held back a cry of pain. Breathing heavily, he opened both hands in front of him and stared at them.

His words earlier in the day came back to him. _It's just pianist cramps. I'm fine._

He wondered if he really was fine.

There were a few minutes of silence before he started playing again. It was his favorite. The music was soft, gentle, and sounded almost like a lullaby. He played it slowly and beautifully. Though this time, the melody was laced with overflowing sadness.

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><p><strong>AN: **Well how was it? Should I continue with it? Please tell me early on if I should. With how things are going, it might take me a while to update. Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. :3

Um, about Fongs' surname. It's a play with words on my part. ^^ Fong is the storm arcobaleno. In Chinese, Tai Feng means storm, wherein Feng means wind. Feng could also be read as Fong. So more or less, that's where I got the idea for Fong's name. :D Haha, I'm not so sure about it though. XD

Note to the readers:

1) _Grazioso_ – gracefully or with grace

2) _Cantabile _- "singing"; play emulating as much as possible the singing voice


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Well, after long periods of staring blankly into space and eating very fattening chocolate just to come up with the storyline, I finally finished the second chapter of Interlude. Whew! ^^' This is a lot shorter than the previous chapter, so I guess I'll have to make up for it on the next one. :D

Thank you for the reviews and the alerts! X3 Hope you'll continue to be patient with me and read this story until the very end. Please enjoy~

**Disclaimer: **Someday…wait for it… *bwahahahaha* XD

Note: Less piano playing this time. :3 I don't think I could integrate them playing the piano in every single chapter since I myself don't play it, the piano I mean.

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><p><strong>Interlude<strong>

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><p><em>-Chapter 2-<em>

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><p>"<em>Hey Fong."<em>

_The Chinese stopped midway in pressing down on an ivory key and turned towards the source of the voice. His hands immediately found their way on his lap, one on top of the other in a slightly regal fashion. He gave his full attention to the brunet seated a short distance away from him, his dark eyes questioning. Tsuna stared at his cute student intently for a few moments before breaking out into a smile, his chin resting on top of intertwined fingers._

"_Fong…Do you love the piano?"_

_Fong's eyes lit up and a smile graced his lips. He didn't need to dwell much on it. It's been half a year since he started exploring the fascinating world of 'the blacks and the whites', and he has found himself enjoying every minute he spent playing it, more so than he ever thought he would. He adored being able to produce the beautiful melodies. His answer flew readily out of his mouth. _

"_I do, Sensei."_

_The brunet's smile only grew wider as he sensed the sincerity behind the boy's words. _

-:-

Fong rounded the corner and slowly walked towards the direction of his mentor's humble abode. He was still clad in his school uniform, his school bag slung lazily over his shoulders. The wind blew gently as he hummed a tune to himself, his braided hair fluttering lightly behind him. He glanced at his watch and sighed as he noted how late it was. Sadly, school duties kept him from going home at an earlier time.

He stood in front of the doorway and fumbled through his pockets in search for his keys. He was about to insert the key into the keyhole when he noticed something amiss. He was sure that Tsuna's usually already home from work at around this time, and yet there was no piano music playing in the background.

It was odd.

Fong knew of how much his teacher loved playing the piano. Whenever he came by for a lesson, he would always be greeted by the tinkling and reverberating melodies emitting from the instrument. _Always_. The only other time that he came by without hearing any form of music was when the brunet was too sick to get up from bed, and when he wasn't at home, which has been rare since recently.

A feeling of dread suddenly washed over him. He shoved the key into the hole and twisted the doorknob open.

Once inside, the door closed behind him with a hollow thud.

He slowly scanned the entirety of the room before him. It was dark; his eyes took a while to adjust to the sudden dimness of his surroundings. Fong stumbled to the wall in an attempt to search for the light switch. He tried calling out as he felt for the small knob.

"Tsuna?"

After a few seconds, he finally found the switch and flipped it open. The room was immediately blanketed in a bright coating of light. Blinking a few times, the Chinese took note of his surroundings before quickly making his way towards the living room. As he stepped inside, the first thing that came into view was the mop of brown hair at the far corner of the room. The next were the many empty cans of beer littering the carpeted floor.

Fong carefully treaded his way towards the brunet and went down on his knees in front of him. Tsuna was sitting against the wall; both his legs were pulled up to his chest, his face concealed from view. The heavy scent of alcohol hung thickly in the air.

"You've been drinking." It was a statement, not a question. The 22 year old man flinched at the words, and then slowly raised his head. His cheeks were lightly flushed red, his eyes a bit dazed but still alert. He smiled, albeit a forced one. He gestured towards the dozen or so empty cans surrounding him.

"I…just thought that I'd…drink away my problems for tonight." His speech was a bit slurred, alerting the other of his slight intoxication. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the wall behind him, the smile still present on his lips. "I didn't think that I'd have this high of a tolerance for beer, though."

"…You drank more than 12 cans, Tsuna." The brunet heard a sigh escape from his student. He opened his eyes to come face to face with Fong. Worried onyx eyes bore into caramel ones. The Chinese's usual smile was gone, replaced by a small frown. He reached forward and grabbed hold of the Tsuna's hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"I won't ask if you don't want me to."

The brunet only gave a curt nod as an indication that he'd been listening and a small smile in gratitude. They stared at each other for a moment before Tsuna tore away his gaze. Fong followed suit and opted instead to sit beside the brunet, all the while not letting go of his hand.

They basked in each other's presence in comfortable silence, neither of the two speaking up. Only their breathing and the ticking sound of the clock could be heard. Minutes turned to hours until finally it was time for Fong to head on back to his own home. Reluctantly, he pried his fingers away from his hold, only to be held back firmly in place. His eyes widened a bit as Tsuna interlocked his fingers with his, refusing to let go.

"Wha–"

He was cut off as the brunet suddenly spoke up. "I know this is a bit selfish and…well, stupid, but…could you stay with me? At least for a while longer…" Tsuna gave the hand a tight squeeze, his shoulders tense.

Fong's eyes softened, a gentle smile formed on his lips. He squeezed back and took his place once more beside the brunet. Immediately after the simple gesture, Tsuna's shoulders relaxed and slumped down. He leant his head against the other's shoulder and started humming the opening bars to his favorite piece. The sound was delicate and soothing, much like that of a piano.

A sudden jolt of pain coursed through his hands, his eyes squinted shut in mid-hum. His body hunched over and he unconsciously gripped Fong's hand in a tight bone-crushing hold. The Chinese flinched and held back a grunt of pain.

The teenager held Tsuna on the shoulder for support with his free hand, a worried expression marring his face once again. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine." Tsuna's brows were furrowed and his teeth were clenched tightly. The thoughts that he tried so hard to forget waltzed into his mind as if to mock him. He wanted so badly to forget.

_I'm sorry Sawada-san._

The voice rang in his ears, repeating itself over and over like a broken record. The brunet held onto Fong's uniform and buried his forehead against his chest. The sudden influx of pain slowly started to recede, leaving his body with a numb sensation. He could slightly make out the sound of Fong's voice in the background, his tone laced with worry.

_An unknown disease has spread throughout the infected areas of the blood vessels located inside your hands, poisoning your system. _

_Without treatment…I'm afraid it's likely that you won't live to old age. _

_Even now, we're not entirely sure of how long that would be as the infection's spreading at a fast rate._

_Surgery is the best course of action to take, if you want to live. _

_Only…there's a very high risk of losing complete control over your hands…_

Tsuna buried his face at the nook of the teen's neck, his eyes hot and glistening with unshed tears. Seconds later, the tears cascaded freely down the contours of his cheeks. He tried to muffle out his silent sniffles as he wrapped his hands around the Chinese's waist, seeking out every ounce of comfort he could get. He felt a pair of hands embrace him, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

_It's your choice Sawada-san. _

_There's nothing more we could do. Even doctors can't create miracles…_

Fong hugged the brunet tighter as he noticed his body trembling slightly. He wasn't stupid. Something was terribly wrong. But the only thing he could do now is to be there for Tsuna and to wait for him until he's ready to share whatever it is that was bothering him. Softly, he whispered words of comfort, the sounds melting into the silence of the room.

-:-

_Fong shyly looked up and held his teacher's gaze in his. _

"_What about you, Sensei?"_

"_Hm?" _

"_Do you love the piano?"_

_Tsuna stood up from his seat and walked towards the boy, the warm smile still present in his face. He bent forward and touched their foreheads together._

"_The same goes for me. I _really_ love the piano. Especially more so now, since I got to meet you."_

_The brunet pulled away and ruffled the 10 year old's hair affectionately. He chuckled at the light blush that adorned the Chinese's pale face. He turned his eyes and gazed out the windows. _

_He smiled. 'I really do love the piano.'_

* * *

><p>The brunet woke up with a start. Rays of sunlight streamed in through the glass windows, lighting up the room. His body felt oddly cramped. He snuggled in closer to the warmth, pressing himself to the soft–<p>

Wait, soft?

Tsuna's eyes fluttered open. Slowly, he trailed his eyes up; Fong's sleeping face entering his visage. He blinked a few times before he recalled what happened the night before. They had fallen asleep in each other's hold. His face softened as he carefully withdrew from the body, minding not to move the teen so as not to wake him up.

He sat down near the Chinese and stared at him with warm caramel eyes. He reached forward and softly ran his hand on the teen's cheek. Fong stayed with him the entire time.

The brunet closed his eyes and whispered a silent gratitude. "Thank you."

He bent forward slowly on his hands and knees. His lips were only mere centimeters away from the other before he caught himself and immediately pulled away. He raised a hand to his lips. Just what was he about to do?

Tsuna stumbled backward and stood from his place. He silently stalked out of the room leaving the raven haired teen alone in the midst of solitude.

-:-

"Where the hell have you been?"

Fong inwardly flinched at the harsh tone of his father's voice. He knew better than to go against him when he's mad. He bent his head in a low bow as a sign of respect.

"I'm terribly sorry, Father. I stayed over at a friend's house last night and failed to inform you about it."

He could feel the steely gaze of his father's eyes penetrating through him, as if determining his fate from what feeble excuse he could come up with. His father stood rigid straight in an intimidating manner. The teen could hear him clucking his tongue in displeasure.

"You know I don't approve of you playing the piano."

Fong's eyes widened for a fraction before he schooled his face back into a neutral expression, his upper body still positioned in a deep bow. He chose not to give an answer.

"It was your mother's wish for you to continue with your lessons before she died. I respected her wish. That is the only reason why I tolerated you playing a _lowly_ instrument up until now. I don't even approve of you mingling with that sorry excuse for a teacher."

He clenched his fists tightly on his side and his eyes flashed with anger. Fong knew that his father had been against him playing the piano from the start. He's grateful to his mother for supporting him with his decision, though it strained his relationship with his father even more. But he has no right to ridicule Tsuna. He bit down on his lip to restrain himself from lashing at his father. He kept silent still.

"But I'll only tolerate it up to this much. The moment you graduate from high school, the whole family is moving back to China."

Fong whipped his head up and opened his mouth to retort but was immediately shut up by his father's cold glare.

"The decision is final."

His father stared at him icily, as if daring him to say otherwise. Fong bit back his reply and turned his head to the side.

"Yes, Father."

He bowed again and walked towards the other side of the house, disappearing into one of the bedroom doors.

Fong dropped his schoolbag to the floor and crashed into the soft bed, his fingers combing through his bangs. He tugged at the locks of hair in mild frustration. From his pocket, he produced a single slip of paper.

_Fong,_

_Thank you._

_I wouldn't have known what to do if you hadn't been there for me._

_-Tsuna_

His eyes traced across the familiar handwriting, rereading it for what seemed like the umpteenth time. When he woke up earlier in the morning, he found himself alone in the living room. The note was left for him to see on top of the grand piano. It was a Saturday so the brunet had to go to work, most likely the reason why he wasn't at home. Sighing, Fong let his hand fall to the side of the bed, the note dropping from his hold onto the floor.

Two years until he graduates.

Two short years till he gets carted off to China.

He raised his arm to cover his eyes and willed himself to fall into sleep. The last thing that lingered in his mind before he succumbed to unconsciousness is a pair of warm caramel eyes.

* * *

><p>Tsuna sat on one of the swings in the park, lightly swinging forward and back. He watched as the children frolicked about the place with huge grins plastered on their faces. The brunet smiled at them when they turned to wave at him.<p>

He dropped his gaze to look at his hands folded neatly on his lap. He recalled the doctor's words.

_It's your choice Sawada-san._

Tsuna clasped his hands together and closed his eyes. It was his choice.

He wasn't one to believe in them, but this time, he really wished that there is such a thing as a 'miracle'.

"I need a miracle." The words he whispered floated off together with the breeze towards the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Disappointing chapter, huh? Yeah, I thought so too. Oh well… If you have the time, please kindly leave me a review even if the review is not so kind. ^^


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**Whew! Sorry for the long wait! I've been mighty preoccupied with school and by bouts of procrastination and fanfiction reading, so er, I put off updating for a while. It's Christmas break right now, so I'm thinking of updating my stories for a bit. :D I'll see what I can do.

Something interesting happened a while back. Among my friends, only two know of my penname here (one is Aoi Kitsune-chan and the other is a lurker who goes by hotCarameLsaucE). And then this dude, an otaku classmate who's somewhat my friend, coincidentally found out. How? Well, the picture I used to use for my avatar (the one with the white teacup and teapot), is the same photo I use for my Facebook account and for my phone wallpaper. He recognized it. I don't really mind him knowing, but I wanted to mess with him for a bit. I threatened to put in some M rated boyxboy stuff to scar him for life if he ever plans on reading my stories. Ahh, I'm so evil~ xD

Anyhoo, here's chapter 3 of Interlude! Reads on my dear readers! :D

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude<strong>

* * *

><p><em>-Chapter 3-<em>

* * *

><p>The doctor was looking at the X-rays, tracing a wrinkled finger on the supposedly infected areas within the brunet's hands. His voice maintained a professional drone as he thoroughly explained his findings with the current check-up.<p>

Tsuna sat painfully still, trying but failing to wrap his mind around the new information he was being fed regarding his unwanted _situation_. His eyes followed the doctor's moving finger, yet at the same time he was vividly conscious of the stark white walls enclosing the room and the lingering scent of antiseptic and different kinds of medicine in the air. He felt oddly claustrophobic all of a sudden, adding to his growing uneasiness. With both hands tightly clasped together on his lap, he cut off the doctor's ramblings with the question that has been plaguing his mind for the better part of his hospital visit.

"H-how much longer?"

The question came out as a soft stuttered whisper, and he mentally berated himself for being this weak.

"Pardon?"

The doctor blinked, confusion clearly etched on his face before comprehension settled in. He sighed, eyeing the petite man who, for lack of better words, clammed up and seemed to find a sudden interest in the scuffs of his shoe. He cleared his throat and waited a few seconds until his patient's attention was again directed at him.

He immediately schooled his expression into a sympathetic, understanding one.

Tsuna found no comfort from that.

"Sawada-san, let me explain again." The brunet nodded curtly, prompting the elder to continue. "The symptoms you've been having could very well account to several possible ailments. At first you thought it was only pianist's cramps, which is a plausible assumption since, from what you've told me, your line of work requires the constant usage of your hands, extending to your fingers."

Tsuna nodded slowly, vaguely recalling the doctor's words from their previous discussion.

"Aside from that, another likely conclusion would be Vasculitis, which is the inflammation of blood vessels resulting to aneurysms. Symptoms include general aches and pains, thankfully, you haven't gotten feverish yet. If what we are dealing with is indeed Vasculitis, the disruption of blood flow caused by the inflamed vessels could damage several of your body's organs and could lead to death if not treated." At this, the medical practitioner absentmindedly began tracing the areas where the blood vessels are located again, something which the brunet didn't fail to notice.

"The thing is, though not much is known about it, Vasculitis can be treated." The doctor gave a pointed look at the smaller man. "And we know that what you have isn't Vasculitis."

Tsuna stayed silent, knowing that there would be more to the explanation, which is suspiciously becoming more and more like a science class lecture on ailments and diseases.

"Another possibility is Carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes acute pain and intense numbness on the hands and wrists and loss of grip strength." He paused for a second to think. "And judging by the remission of the pain, it couldn't be the bursting of blood vessels, though symptoms are quite similar as well."

Tsuna just nodded along, wondering when his question would finally get answered. He hardly cared for any of these…

"Sawada-san, the way that this unknown infection is spreading and damaging your blood vessels is like how cancer cells divide and grow in number, harming the healthy cells. But since we have no prior knowledge about this particular disease, we have no definite cure for it aside from surgically removing the infected areas. And as we've said before, surgery would lead to paralysis, and it would only be effective if the infected area is still small. For now, we're lucky that the administered trial drugs are effectively hindering the growth and spreading of the infection. We don't know for how long this will hold on."

Silence prevailed for a short while, allowing Tsuna to digest what he'd been told.

"Regarding your question, we still don't know. I can't give you a sure answer." The doctor cleared his throat. "What's certain for now is that the infection is indeed deadly. For how long it will take to completely poison your system, we do not know. We are racing against time here, Sawada-san. We must know of your decision soon, whether you consent to surgery or not."

The brunet stood up and politely thanked the doctor, all the while, his expression giving no hint of his inner turmoil.

"Remember to come back for your next check-up. We have to closely follow the infection's progress."

Tsuna nodded briefly before stalking out of the room, out into the open.

* * *

><p>Fong stared at the shattered remains of his alarm clock. Dazedly, he wondered how it could have met such a tragic end until he remembered that it was he who threw it, grudgingly, to the wall a few minutes prior.<p>

That's another broken clock he has to replace.

He sighed, putting a hand to his face. He really should do something about this...side of him. Mornings bring out the worse in him, he concurred with another sigh.

The sight of his broken clock reminded him of his reason for willingly waking up in the wee hours of the morning; even if it's perfectly clear he would much rather sleep a few hours more. His father was very strict when it came to punctuality, so it's a given that he was raised to be as punctual as he could get, for whatever the occasion. And recently, he's been waking up earlier than usual, all to avoid having to deal with him in the mornings.

Fong took one last glance at the corpse of what has once been his clock before jumping out of bed, stumbling towards the bathroom to get himself ready for school.

-;-

Stepping out of his room, Fong quietly headed to the family altar. His eyes looked over its contents, a vase of fresh flowers, a small ceramic urn holding a few sticks of lit incense, landing on a wooden photo frame. The frame held a picture of a smiling female. Her hair and eyes a shade of dark onyx, and her features were undoubtedly of Asian descent. Her beauty was forever preserved in that instant.

His face softened at the sight of the woman.

"Good morning, Mother."

He took a couple sticks of incense, lit them, and uttered a soundless prayer. After placing them inside the urn, he smiled at his mother and said his goodbyes. He was about to head out the door when his father's daunting voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Fong."

His voice was cold and held no hint of fatherly affection. Fong slowly faced him and bowed his head in respect.

"Good morning, Father."

Qiang stared down his son, not giving any indication of hearing him. His dark eyes were hard and calculating, likened to that of a predator eyeing its prey. A minute or so passed before he spoke.

"You're up early. And leaving without breakfast, I see." It was an observation and nothing more. Fong knew his father could care less whether or not he ate three meals a day. He bit back his thoughts and carefully formulated his response.

_It wanted to avoid you. _

"There is something of dire importance I have to attend to at school, and I'm a little short on time."

Qiang merely stood there, as if contemplating his answer. Fong wondered if he saw through his lie. After a few more moments of silence, the teen knew that the topic has been dropped. He held back a sigh of relief and bowed once more.

"If there's nothing else, then I'll be taking my leave now, Father."

He put on his shoes and made his way towards the door when the Tai family head spoke up, his voice echoing across the room.

"Don't forget what we talked about, Fong."

Fong's lips curved up into a small grim smile. He clenched his trembling hands rather tightly around the bag strap.

"Yes, Father." _You __wouldn__'__t __allow __me __to __after __all._

The door closed lightly after Fong. Qiang merely stared at his retreating son's back through the window.

"Lin."

From the shadows of the room emerged one of his bodyguards, deeply loyal to him and his clan. Lin bowed to his waist in respect, awaiting his orders.

"Watch my son closely. Report back to me immediately if you find something...unusual."

Lin nodded, then bowed again. "As you wish."

-;-

He arrived at the school gates an hour and a half early, and as expected, he was the only student in sight. Classes don't start until 8:00 am; he figured he has plenty of time to kill. He let out a sigh as he walked aimlessly around the school grounds, his mind fleeting back to two days ago.

_But I'll only tolerate it up to this much._

_The moment you graduate from high school, the whole family is moving back to China._

Fong quickly shook his head to rid himself of his thoughts. How he wished he could lead himself to believe that it never happened, that his father never talked to him about leaving Japan and returning to China. A frown found its way on his lips.

He hated himself for being a coward. He hated himself for not standing up to his father.

He hated that he couldn't do anything about it.

Fong closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. He needs to tell Tsuna of his situation...

But then what? It's not like anything would change if he told the brunet. It's not like...the other loved him as well.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing outside one of the school's old music rooms, his feet having led him there. He peeked in through the window and scanned the area inside. The lack of instruments spoke of years of un-use. But then his eyes caught a glimpse of black and settled on the far end of the room beside the window.

There stood a single piano, smaller than the one in his sensei's house, but still beautiful nonetheless.

The Chinese tried his hand at the door and found it open. Slowly, he entered the small room. The door closed behind him with a creak to its rusty hinges. He walked towards the piano and slid his fingers across the ivory keys, enjoying the tinkling sounds it created.

He checked the time. 7:04.

It wouldn't hurt if he played for a bit.

He sat on the wooden bench in front of the piano, fingering its intricate wood carvings, before turning his full attention to the musical device. Smiling, he wound the opening bars to his sensei's favorite song, to the lullaby he always loved to hear.

That moment when he played the piano was the most relaxed he'd been in days.

As the song came to a close, he could faintly hear muffled voices approaching in the background. He turned around in time to see the door swing open revealing two girls chattering with each other. Judging by their uniforms, they were a year younger than him, freshmen.

"–it's here, Kyoko-chan! This is where I heard the music! It was so beau–"

"Alright Haru-chan, but don't be so–"

Both stopped in mid-sentence as they sensed another presence in the room. Fong was still sitting on the bench, his left hand resting against the keys while his right hung limply against his side. Their eyes widened in recognition.

"AHH! FONG-SEMPAI!"

The girl with dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, presumably 'Haru-chan', screeched loudly and made exaggerated hand movements while the one with orange hair called 'Kyoko-chan' alternated between calming her friend down and glancing at their upperclassman. Fong winced at the sheer volume of the voice but still found it in him to smile. He drew back his hand from the keyboard and stood from his seat, giving them a friendly bow and greeting.

"Hello."

A faint blush spread across their cheeks. A second later, it was Kyoko who recovered first. She smiled sweetly, almost shyly, at him.

"Ano...I never knew Fong-sempai played the piano." At this, the brunette, too, finally regained her composure. "Neither did I!" Then a flurry of questions followed.

Fong remained pleasant and answered each question directed at him patiently. He smiled at the girls' antics and crazy shenanigans, as they took his mind away from...distasteful things. "So, Fong-sempai, how long have you been playing the piano?" He stayed silent for a while, mentally calculating the number of years he has spent learning from his beloved teacher. "Hm, probably around 6 years now." Both girls made 'ooh' noises and continued chattering enthusiastically. Time passed by quickly as they conversed with each other.

"Did you learn to play the piano by yourself, Sempai?" The older teen's eyes softened. "No...I have a teacher." This seemed to interest the two girls greatly. "Eh? Really? Then he must be really good, since Sempai already plays really well and he's just the student!" The other agreed. The humor in his eyes soon left and his smile became strained at the next turn of the conversation. "Waa! Then I want to learn from this great master as well!" Fong opened his mouth to speak but then the first bell alerting the students that classes were about to start sounded, and the two girls immediately bid their farewells and went off on their merry way.

The Chinese stood in solitude as he waited for the pattering footsteps to die out. He didn't like the idea of Tsuna teaching anyone other than him. He smiled wryly. It unnerved him that he has become this selfish. Shaking his head, he glided across the old floorboards and exited the room.

"Quite the popular one, aren't you?"

He glanced to his side and was met with a male student with an eye catching fedora perched on top of sleek raven hair. Amusement danced in his dark eyes and a small smirk played on his lips. Fong grinned at him widely, a huge contrast to the annoyance in his tone.

"Go die, Reborn."

* * *

><p>"...Yes. Um, I'd like to take a few days off, if possible...Yes. No! Nothing's wrong. It's just..." A pause. "Okay. Thank you so much. Goodbye."<p>

Tsuna put the receiver down with a sigh and dropped to the floor. He drew his knees to his chest and stared at his trembling hands, clenching and unclenching them the whole time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**Ohoho. How was it? Reviews are lovely! :D

Fong's father's name is Qiang. It means 'strength'.


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